You may be thinking about having a baby, or you may already be pregnant. You may have known about your HIV status for a long time, or you may have found out that you are living with HIV during your pregnancy. HIV is different now. With treatment, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives as well as have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant and are HIV-positive, talk to your healthcare provider.

The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute has information on HIV testing and treatment during pregnancy, infant feeding for individuals living with HIV, and online learning modules on a variety of topics.

The Canadian HIV Pregnancy Planning Website is also a valuable website with up-to-date and expert-approved information on pregnancy planning for people living with HIV and their care providers.

Planning a Healthy Pregnancy

People living with HIV can have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

Taking HIV medication is the most important thing that you can do to keep yourself healthy and to reduce the chance of spreading HIV to your baby. If a pregnant person does not take HIV medications, there is a 15% to 40% chance that their baby will get HIV. With HIV treatment before and during pregnancy, during delivery, and after the baby is born, this chance is less than 1%. Your baby will also receive HIV medications for the first six weeks of life.

If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant and are HIV positive, talk to your healthcare provider for more information.

Below are some resources with more information on HIV and pregnancy:

Saskatchewan Infant Formula Program

HIV can be transmitted from mothers and nursing parents to their children through breastfeeding. Even if you are on HIV medication and you have a suppressed viral load, breastfeeding is NOT recommended because there is still a risk of spreading HIV to your baby. This risk has been found even in those who have an undetectable viral load through a blood test. Switching between breastfeeding and formula feeding is also NOT recommended because this increases the risk of a baby getting HIV.

Saskatchewan’s Infant Formula Program provides free formula to all babies born to mothers and lactating parents living with HIV. Formula is provided free, from birth to one year of age. For more information about the program, click here.

Resources about formula feeding:

Sanctum 1.5

Sanctum 1.5 is a 10-bed prenatal care home in Saskatoon which supports women who are living with HIV or at high risk of contracting HIV and are at risk of having their babies apprehended at birth. Sanctum provides holistic, non-judgmental care in a safe and supportive environment that maximizes the woman’s control and dignity. They work preventatively to meet the health and social needs of women more effectively and efficiently which improves the health and wellbeing of mom, as well as baby, while also reducing the risks associated with apprehensions of infants at birth.

Mothers can enter the program at any stage of their pregnancy and will be able to return to Sanctum 1.5 from the hospital with their babies for an additional 3 months.

Referrals can be made by healthcare providers, nurses, physicians, or through self-referral anywhere in Saskatchewan. The program is not restricted to Saskatoon residents so individuals living in other cities, communities, and First Nations reserves are eligible to apply. All referrals can be completed by contacting 306-954-5035.

Referral Criteria

Individuals must be:

  • pregnant
  • a resident of Saskatchewan
  • HIV-positive or at risk of contracting HIV while pregnant

  • at risk of having their child(ren) apprehended at birth (for reasons such as substance misuse, mental health concerns, housing instability, exposure to violence, other child(ren) in care, etc.)
Sanctum 1.5 Promo Video

For more information, visit their website or contact 306-954-5035 or [email protected].